Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if you guys could recommend any sprint training books.  I’m a high school track coach and had good luck last year, but want to make my kids even better.  There seems to be a huge amount of quality distance running books, but fewer sprinting books.  Any I should look at?

I know you are looking for books but you should check out Mike Young dvd’s.  What events are you coaching?

It hasn’t been totally worked out yet since we’re still figuring out the assistant situation, but most likely for indoor track the 50, 50 hurdles, and 300.  Might toss the 600 and 1000 in there too, but those are different beasts.

Outdoor probably the 100, 110/100 hurdles, 200, 400 and 400 hurdles.  The hurdles are my specialty, but I need to be well versed in all events.  Thanks I’ll look up Mike Young.

“Athletic Development”, ‘the art and science of functional sports conditioning’ V. Gambetta
  (Not specifically sprints but covers a wide variety of basics)

“Sport Speed”, Dintiman/Ward/Tellez

“Sport Specific Speed”, Gambetta/Winckler

“The Science of Hurdling and Speed”, Brent McFarlane (several versions “out” with some slight variation in titling)

“The Hurdle Bible”, Wilbur L. Ross

  Not to knock any of the above but DVDs are, IMO, a better way to go (capture nuances of drills, if that’s part of what you are after).  Having a book has it “all” in one place but it is my guess reading the forums and articles on this website, while involving searching could end up being more “useful” for the purposes I think you are wanting. As far as I know all of the above are still available.  There were a number of others including some series covering all track and field events in some depth but quite a few are out of print and getting very hard to find.  Check the posted covers on this website’s home page.

RussZHC - 05 October 2008 01:27 PM

“Athletic Development”, ‘the art and science of functional sports conditioning’ V. Gambetta
  (Not specifically sprints but covers a wide variety of basics)

“Sport Speed”, Dintiman/Ward/Tellez

“Sport Specific Speed”, Gambetta/Winckler

“The Science of Hurdling and Speed”, Brent McFarlane (several versions “out” with some slight variation in titling)

“The Hurdle Bible”, Wilbur L. Ross

  Not to knock any of the above but DVDs are, IMO, a better way to go (capture nuances of drills, if that’s part of what you are after).  Having a book has it “all” in one place but it is my guess reading the forums and articles on this website, while involving searching could end up being more “useful” for the purposes I think you are wanting. As far as I know all of the above are still available.  There were a number of others including some series covering all track and field events in some depth but quite a few are out of print and getting very hard to find.  Check the posted covers on this website’s home page.

sports speed is lame, if you have it trash it.

i aggree 100% with utfootball4

UT-
Thanks for the pub.

All the books in the recommended section meet my ‘seal of approval.‘ For sprint training, I like McFarlane’s book that was mentioned above and CF’s book is very insightful as well. Also, if you haven’t already, check out the sprint section of the article database. There’s probably 50 or so articles on sprinting. Although a lot are science and research based, many of them are training related.

If you’re interested in checking out my DVDs you won’t find them any cheaper than HPC website or AthleticLab.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I’m open to any form of information; I just said book because it’s portable and easy to refer to.  What DVDs would you guys suggest?

I have a ton of running books and I can’t really recommend any of them highly (I’m not a hurdles guy btw) except Charlie’s Training for Speed (and GPP DVD) and Bosch’s “Running”...  Rip out the practical/applied section of Bosch’s book though. 

edit: The Sprint & Relays books (edited by Jess Jarver) from T&F News were always interesting.  The John Smith sprint video is good too.

Where is the HPC Gold Medal Clinic DVD?

mortac8 - 10 October 2008 09:00 PM

Where is the HPC Gold Medal Clinic DVD?

On it’s way. Everything has been submitted on my end and the last I heard it should be out within a month.

Any ideas where I might find Francis’ Training for Speed in book form?  I’m having the hardest time finding it. 

I read McFarlane’s book and it was pretty good.  But of course I want more info; the more the better.

underdog_19 - 08 November 2008 10:59 AM

Any ideas where I might find Francis’ Training for Speed in book form?  I’m having the hardest time finding it. 

I read McFarlane’s book and it was pretty good.  But of course I want more info; the more the better.

charliefrancis.com may have it.  maybe

The book has been out of print for a very long time. I think someone on this board (maybe Quikazhell?) said that you could occasionally find them on ebay or half.com but they are always very expensive. I’ve heard of some people randomly finding them in used book stores or stealing them from libraries.

Mike Young - 10 November 2008 01:43 AM

The book has been out of print for a very long time. I think someone on this board (maybe Quikazhell?) said that you could occasionally find them on ebay or half.com but they are always very expensive. I’ve heard of some people randomly finding them in used book stores or stealing them from libraries.

Or you could do the quikazhell method and buy the Ebook then print the whole thing at work.

I found one of his books online…$270!!!  I want to learn, but for that price I might as well spend $400 and do Francis’ hour phone call.

I found this book at running warehouse.  Any opinions?

http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpage-JHPDMSHT.html

$270…argh
*clears throat*...

ebook.  you know, pdf, adobe acrobat, computer, charliefrancis.com, $25